Molded integral cap and container



April 0, 1968 J. A. MORBECK 3,380,608

MOLDED INTEGRAL CAP AND CONTAINER Filed June 14, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG FIG 2 INVENTOR. JAMES ALAN MORBECK ATTORNEY April 30, 1968 J. A. MORBECK MOLDED INTEGRAL CAP AND CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1966 /7 /6 54 FIG 4 INVENTOR. JAMES ALAN MORBECK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,380,608 MOLDED INTEGRAL CAP AND CONTAINER James Alan Morbeck, Elk Grove Village, 11]., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 14, 1966, Ser. No. 557,557 2 Claims. (Cl. 215-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sheet plastic thermoformed blank for forming into a one-piece container having an integral closure wherein two complementary dished sections are integrally joined along one common edge and the integral closure is united to one of the dished sections.

This invention relates generally to a molded plastic container with a captive cap and more particularly to such a container and cap and the one-piece blank from which it is made.

An object of this invention is the provision of a one piece blank that may be thermoformed from sheet plastic material in a conventional manner and formed into a container and captive cap without separation of the parts from the blank.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a one-piece blank which minimizes handling operations during its conversion to a container because it may be handled as a unit.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a container and captive cap whose seams may be readily and easily formed.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a unitary container and captive cap which may be manually opened and closed.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent at it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the blank;

'FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the formed container;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3, showing the captive cap in closed position; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the formed container, partially in transverse section to facilitate illustration.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a one-piece blank, gen erally designated 10, comprising two complementary container sections 11, 12 lying in different planes at a slight angle to each other. The sections 11, 12 are united along a transverse hinge line 15, and a captive closure or cap 16 lying in still a third plane and connected to the container section by a link or hinge member 17.

The complementary sections 11 and 12 are dished in general formation, each having bottom or base segments 20, 21, side wall elements 22, 23 and neck portions 24, 25. Preferably, the sections are formed with flanges 26,

ice

27 and 28, 29 that extend laterally from the edges of the side wall elements 22, 2'3 and neck portions 24, 25.

A container, generally designated 30 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5), is formed from the blank 10 by bending it along its hinge line 15 until the flanges 26, 28 on the element 11, and the flanges 27, 29 on the other element 12 are brought into face to face contact. Then, with the side wall sections held in this position, the abutting flanges are united, preferably by the application of suflicient heat to weld them into longitudinal seams 32, 33.

It is, of course, within the scope of the invention to eliminate flanges 26, 27, 28, 29 when dimensions of the container or its intended use make them unnecessary, such as when the material is thick enough to form a butt weld to unite the sections 11, 12. Furthermore, when desired, the seams 32, 33 may be made by use of suitable adhesives and the application of suflicient pressure to unite the edges or flanges 26, 27, 28, 29.

When thus assembled and formed, the container comprises a one-piece, unseamed base 48, body side walls 49 and a neck 51 to which the captive closure 16 is connected by the link or hinge member 17.

The hinge member 17 (:FIGS. 2 and 5) is molded in L-form with a bend or hinge line at 52. Because of the resiliency of the plastic material of which it is made, the hinge member 17 and closure 16 are biased to the open position shown in FIG. 5, but they may be swung :on hinge line 52 to the closed position shown in FIG. 4.

When in closed position, a plug portion 54 of the cap 16 fits snugly in the neck 51 to effectively close the container. The fit of the plug in the neck provides adequate friction to hold the cap 16 in closed position under normal conditions.

To lend rigidity to the cap structure, it is formed with an inverted, annular channel 55 around the plug. Opening and closing of the cap is facilitated by providing a tab 56 that extends radially outwardly fromthe cap 16.

It is thought that the invention and many of its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely an exemplary embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A sheet plastic thermoformed blank for forming into a one-piece container including an integral closure, comprising:

two dished complementary sections integrally joined along one common edge with each of said sections lying in a different plane, said planes being at a slight angle to each other with the flanged edges of each sections open sides facing in the same direction;

each of said sections having formed therein a semicylindrical neck portion complementary to that formed in the other section so as to form a tubular neck when said container is formed;

and said integral closure united to the upper edge of one of said neck portions by an L-shaped hinge member, said hinge member adapted to fold back along itself so both legs of said hinge lie in contact with each other when said closure seal-s said container.

2. The blank of claim 1 wherein an intermediate hinge FOREIGN PATENTS line is formed in said hinge member about which said 556,274 4/1957 Belgium hinge member is adapted to be folded. 1,216,507 11/1959 Franm R f c Cted 1,081,335 5/1960 Germany.

e 5 640,516 7/1950 Great Britain. UNITED STATES PATENTS 515 7 950 Chaplin X F. Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

2,992,501 7/1961 Douglas 414-4 

